Vancouver Canuck Jordan Schroeder digs in during a drill at training session at UBC arena in Vancouver on Sept, 12, 2013. The centre is sidelined for two months after refracturing his left ankle on Oct. 19 in Pittsburgh against the Penguins.

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VANCOUVER — Vancouver Canucks head coach John Tortorella was in a bartering mood Monday.

Here was his proposed deal: if reporters refrained from inquiring daily about injuries, he would provide a nice little list for us on what was happening in the team's infirmary.

So how could we resist? We couldn't.

The worst news was on centre Jordan Schroeder, who refractured his left ankle Oct. 19 in Pittsburgh and will require surgery. A pin will be inserted to stabilize the bone, Schroeder has appeared in just three games. He originally hurt the ankle in a pre-season contest Sept. 21 in Edmonton. He also had off-season shoulder surgery. If bad things come in threes, Schroeder has reached his quota.

“He's out for two months,” said Torts prior to the Canucks-Washington Capitals date at Rogers Arena. “That's the update on him. We don't have to talk about him for two months.”

Jannik Hansen? He injured something on the right side of his upper body last Tuesday against the New York Islanders when he crashed awkwardly into the boards.

“Hansen is, probably, I don't know, 3-4 weeks in that area,” the coach said. “Dale Weise (lower body) is probably 3-4 weeks and David Booth (lower body) is more in the shorter area, a week to two weeks.”

All this grim news means the Canucks will continue with a bottom six that includes call-ups Jeremy Welsh, Darren Archibald and converted defenceman Yannick Weber. Even Tortorella couldn't put a happy face on these developments.

“Of course, it's a challenge,” he noted. “I mean, you're losing some of the guys who made your team and are in your 20. But you have to fill it. All teams go through it. It just gives guys opportunities and we get to find out about our depth. You can't do anything about injuries. You just have to find a way to get it done.”

BURR BACK: Canucks winger Alex Burrows was to return to the lineup Monday night wearing the “shot blocker” skate covers to give him an added layer of protection. Burrows missed 12 games after suffering a fractured right foot blocking a Patrick Marleau shot on Oct. 3 in San Jose.

Burrows, 32, isn't a big fan of the shot blockers but understands it's in his best interest to wear them.

“They're not my favourite things,” he said prior to Monday’s game against the Caps. “They're a little bit heavier and maybe you feel you're not as smooth on the ice. But at the same time, if they can prevent an injury, you might as well go for it and suck it up a little bit and get used to them.”

FIGHTING CANCER: The Canucks declared Monday's game as “Hockey Fights Cancer Awareness Night,” a league-wide initiative to raise money for cancer care and research. Tortorella said he was absolutely on board with the initiative.

“It is fantastic,” commented Tortorella, showing a soft side rarely seen. “I don't think we have enough programs. I don't want to get on a soap box here but it's very important. A lot of different things are going on with a lot of different people who aren't nearly as fortunate as we are.

“We get caught up in this mess of the winning and losing and all that and it means squat compared to what is going on with some other people,” he continued. “So the initiative has been fantastic and I hope it continues. I hope we have other initiatives for other things that go on, especially for our young kids.”

LUCKY 13? Canucks call-up Jeremy Welsh admitted he was surprised to find he had been assigned No. 13 when he was summoned from the American Hockey League’s Utica Comets for the Oct. 20 game in Columbus.

“I'd like to make up some good story as to why I picked No. 13 but I can't,” Welsh said, chuckling. “It's not really a prominent hockey number. Mats Sundin is about the only guy I can think of.”

“My junior coach once told me when you get a number, you just stick with it and make it your own,” said Welsh, 25. “I wore No. 27 for eight years through junior and college but once you get to pro, it doesn't matter at all.”

QUOTABLE: “It was nice to see the boys get some big wins on the road. That always makes it easier.” — Canuck Alex Burrows on being hurt in the first game of the season and missing the next 12. The Canucks were 8-3-1 in his absence.

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